“Do you like me more this way?” Carmen asked.

 Shane was lost for words for a moment. Her heart skipped a beat while she nodded.

“Which one is the real you?”  She asked curiously.

“What do you think?” She giggled.

“I don’t know.” She replied, shaking her head.

“That’s because you are prejudiced against me.  You think I am a rebel.” She said in dismay.

“Maybe you are not, but you sure act like one!” She paused then added, “No one likes an ill mannered girl.”

“Wrong, this is prejudice again!  If you really love someone, you would accept their flaws. If you make them change more to your liking, then they are not the person you love anymore.  The relationship won’t last.” Carmen said seriously.

Shane was reflecting on her words.  If you cannot be true to yourself and your partner then the relationship was not build on solid grounds.  Pretending to be someone else to please your partner was not feasible in the long run.  The most comfortable was to be yourself, who cared if others didn’t like you.  She started to understand Carmen a bit.

She was just staying true to herself – direct to the point and live a life the way she liked it.

Shane thought about herself.  She felt ashamed that she couldn’t even fool herself.  She often subdued her emotions, forbid herself to cry, laugh, be happy and sad as she cared about what people think of her. After staying at so many foster homes, she learnt to behave and survive.

“I need to attend a party tonight.  Would you like to be my escort?”  Carmen asked her politely.

“Sure, if you don’t mind my causal wear.” She replied, pointing at her blazer and jeans.

“You will be just fine.”  She smiled sweetly.

“Let’s go then.”  She forced a smile.

#############################################################

They arrived at an exclusive club, Carmen laced her arm around Shane’s.  Shane glanced at her. “It’s only for the show, I am not taking advantage of you!”  She grinned.

Shane felt her weight on her arm, it gave her a sense of responsibility which she didn’t want to pull away from.